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Wada still working his way back at Triple-A

Wada still working his way back at Triple-A

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Wada's impressive outing 0:55

3/18/12: Tsuyoshi Wada strikes out three over two innings of work against the Braves in his Spring Training debut

By Brittany Ghiroli
/
MLB.com |

KANSAS CITY -- Orioles pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada continues to search for some consistency with Triple-A Norfolk as the lefty, who had Tommy John surgery in May 2012, failed to complete five innings on Thursday.

Signed to a two-year, $8.15 million contract in December 2011, Wada has yet to throw a pitch for Baltimore. In 13 starts for Norfolk, he is 2-5 with a 5.54 ERA, allowing 44 runs (40 earned) on 75 hits and 26 walks over 65 innings. He also had 51 strikeouts.

"Sometimes it takes extra time," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of Wada, who was optioned to Norfolk after coming off the 60-day disabled list and completing his rehab assignment. "There's a chance that somebody, us or somebody else, I don't know what the offseason brings. But I don't have any doubt at some point, he's going to get back to that form. So, who knows when he gets all the way back?

"It's not at all physical pain, you just get a little fearful of the barrel of the bat. You try to be a little too fine because you know you're not carrying all your bullets. It's normal for a guy who has good command to start to have some walk issues."

Wada issued five walks on Thursday and will remain a starter at Norfolk with no immediate plans to see what he can do in short stints out of the bullpen.

"As long as it takes him to get ready and the physical part of it, [he] couldn't pitch back-to-back days and things like that," Showalter said. "I don't see it."